272 Varsities Not Sufficient for Nigeria’s Growing Demand, Says NUC

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki yesterday said that the current number of 272 public and private universities are not enough to cater for the ever growing demand of university education.

He revealed that the federal government was working to reconstitute the governing councils of universities and they will be inaugurated once the list was consummated.

The executive secretary admitted that the absence of governing councils for public universities was slowing down the administration of the universities and appealed to the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to be patient with the government during the period.

The executive secretary who spoke at a media parley in Abuja was responding to the two-week ultimatum issued by the ASUU for the government to reconstitute the governing councils of public universities.

“The current number of 272 Universities is not sufficient to accommodate the ever-growing demand for university education by Nigerian youths. Each year, Nigerian universities receive so many admissions it cannot accommodate. Therefore, there is the need for Nigeria to continue to increase access by establishing more universities to meet the demand for quality education in the country, “ he said.

On the initiatives put in place by NUC to boost the nation’s university system, Maiyaki said the Commission had identified strategic priorities that encompass curriculum development, quality assurance, research and innovation, infrastructure development, and internationalisation, among others.

“To encourage partnerships with industries and promote blended learning, the NUC carried out an extensive review of university curricula from the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard (BMAS) to the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), which reflect the aspirations of Nigeria to attain a knowledge economy, driven by the four Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the 21 Century skills. The CCMAS features an expansion of academic disciplines from 14 to 17.

“The implementation of the new curricula came into effect in September 2023. for the 2023/2024 academic session. The implementation framework of the CCMAS makes provision for the training of staff in student-centred tuition-delivery capabilities and development of textual materials to enhance teaching and learning.

“To reconstitute the councils of 61 universities is not a small feat. Government is working to ensure that people that are qualified and with the right pedigree are put in those councils,” Maiyaki said.

The acting executive secretary said various guidelines including  Guidelines on Trans-National Education (INE) in Nigeria; Guidelines for e-Learning in Nigerian Universities; Guidelines for the Implementation of the National Policy on Open Educational Resources (OER) in Nigerian Higher Education, and the Guidelines for the Establishment of Private Open Universities in Nigeria have also been churned out by the Commission.

“The INE allows foreign universities to collaborate in creating high quality institutions in Nigeria through six competitive models. This effort aims at making Nigerian graduates competitive, globally, so as to reduce the need for the nation’s young men and women going abroad to seek university education.

“The launch of these ODL guidelines marks a significant milestone in the history of the NUC towards its dedication to greater quality, equity and access to university education in Nigeria. It all follows from the recommendations for the establishment and expansion of universities, deeper IT penetration, and enhanced competencies in online delivery, “ he added.